112 



JOUKNAL OP HOKTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEK. 



t Febrnai7 6, 1873 



hot' sunny weather. Both are free-Ubomers. Dr. Hogg has 

 rather more of aTiolet tinge, ami Djirius has, perhaps, the larger 

 truss with the better footstalk. Lady Kirkland is also a fine- 

 blooming variety, with a large truss ; the footstalk, however, is 

 too weak for wet weather. It has, however, the desideratum of 

 not seeding so freely as many of this colour do. 



I will next take tiie pinks, of which there are many shades 

 of colour from deep pink to light rose. The best and brightest 

 pink was Pink Queen (Dowuie, Laird, it Laing), another very 

 promisin- seedling of Mr. Laing's, free-blooming in spite of 

 the weather, with a very fine truss on a stiff though rather too 

 long a stalk. It is of very healthy growth, and robust without 

 being coarse ; it is fine for large beds, and may be made suitable 

 for small beds with proper care. Though a seedling of Mr. 

 Pearson's, Miss Eose Peach, which I shall refer to when I come 

 to Mr. Pearson's seedlings, will take its place for small beds. 

 Maid of Kent has again merited the encomiums Mr. Luck- 

 hurst passed upon it ; a bright pink, not so deep a colour as 

 the last, not so large a head, but more compact, and a free 

 bloomer, which stands the weather well. The third I select — 

 Eose Eendatler, a light rose pink, large truss, stiff habit, with 

 freedom of blooming, is known to all ; it is best from old cut- 

 back plants. Countess of Eosslyn has done well with me, but 

 will be rather too delicate a habit for many. It is light rose, 

 somewhat similar in colour to Eose Eendatler, but more dwarf 

 in habit. 



I discard the following: — Blue Bell, Dante, Pink Perfection, 

 and Ne Plus Ultra. Blue Bell is a very poor colour for distant 

 effect, and does not bloom freely enough with me. 



There are one or two other old favourites I have not named, 

 as Indian Yellow and Eebecca, which are difficult to classify in 

 point of colour, but which are always useful for variety's sake 

 in a garden. 



Whites are still a desideratum ; all equally turn pink, and 

 nearly all are so much the same as Madame Vaueher that 

 there there is hardly any practical difference between them, 

 though The Bride, if it flowered more freely, seems less inclined 

 to change colour in the sun. I care, however, less about 

 whites, as the colour is supplied in the white-leaved section. 



Amongst others that I have not named is one — Charles 

 Dickens — which I had great hopes of the year before last, 

 which has grievously disappointed me last season, and from 

 what I have seen of it both in pots and beds I am afraid it wiU 

 never bloom freely on young growth. Avocat Gambetta, a 

 Preuch seedling, a red crimson, did very well, and I advise 

 those who have it to give it an extended trial. Phrebus and 

 Sunlight (Laing), did not stand the wet, no more did the 

 Eev. J. Wolley (Pearson) ; these seem to require a dry, warm 

 season. 



I will defer my notes on trial sorts to a second communica- 

 tion. — C. P. Peach. 



STOEING STRAWBERRY PLANTS FOR FORCING. 



As Mr. Eecord invites discussion on this subject, I will 

 describe the system of culture adopted here, and add a few 

 remarks on what I have seen at other places. In the first 

 place, we are all agreed on one point — namely, that everybody's 

 great aim is success, and gardeners, like doctors, differ ; one 

 believes in this system, and another adheres as closely to that. 

 Still, is it not wonderful that two men directly opposed in 

 opinion produce equally good results ? 



I will now state the way in which I prepared nearly two 

 thousand plants for forcing during the past autumn. I will 

 not occupy space with any lengthened details as to soil, 

 potting, Ac. The young runners were layered in the usual 

 way early in June, and as soon as they were sufficiently rooted 

 they were at once transferred into C-inch pots. Black Prince 

 into 5-inch pots. I do not believe in large pots for early 

 forcing. When the plants had become established after their 

 shift, they were placed on a south border on a good hard 

 bottom of coal ashes ; they were liberally supplied with water 

 when required, but owing to the almost incessant rains of the 

 autumn I had artificial staging erected in cool Peach houses, 

 and thither they were taken to finish the ripening process, in 

 batches as room could bo afforded ; and lastly, they were taken 

 to shallow earth pits, to be protected from frost and rain for 

 the winter, their roots neither wet nor dry. With us it is 

 considered an error to allow the roots to become paralysed 

 through excessive dryness ; and the opposite extreme, with 

 roots confined in a small pot and at rest, must be equally in. 

 jurious. I agree with Mr. Eecord in almost all he says, but 



would strongly recommend protection by glass in an autumn 

 like the past, either taking the plants to the glass or the glass 

 to the plants. Climate is worthy of study in Strawberry- 

 forcing, as in all other things, and what we want to imitate is 

 a fine autumn for ripening wood. During the past autumn we 

 did not enjoy this advantage, and we must endeavour to 

 imitate Nature in her more favourable days. May wo not 

 learn a lesson about storing from the plantations outside ? The 

 plants rest on a cool moist bottom, with a little protection to 

 the crowns ; but I think that in the climate of this place it 

 would be a great error to expose Strawberry plants in pots to 

 the rainfall of the past autumn or the present winter. The 

 plants are here kept as oool as possible, only protected against 

 frost and rain. 



I am much interested in Strawberry-forcing, and would like 

 to see the subject handled in aU its details by Mr. Eecord or 

 other equally eminent gardeners. I believe that there are 

 more failures in forcing the Strawberry than in that of any 

 other fruit ; but at the same time I can state on undoubted 

 authority that excellent crops of forced Strawberries have 

 been produced from the gardens whence I write when the plants 

 were prepared on the old system of drying-ofl and winter- 

 stacking. I have seen six hundred Strawberries forced at one 

 place, and not a single dish of fruit as a return for all the 

 trouble ; it was early, and the season anything but favourable. 

 I can well remember when, after three months' hunger and 

 thirst, they were once more brought to the light ; after a good 

 soaking or two of water they were placed in a low damp pit 

 previously prepared for their reception, and a rather high tem- 

 perature was maintained. When the plants were in flower 

 they were never once exposed to the sun, and my own con- 

 viction is that the cause of failure was a too moist atmosphere. 

 Had a little air been judiciously given, and the fingers run 

 along the flowers to disseminate the pollen, a fair crop might 

 have been the result. The pit being low and shaded, and little 

 or no air given, the flowers when expanded must have been con- 

 tinually drizzled with condensed moisture : hence the failure 

 in setting. Another cause of failure may be very fairly attri- 

 buted to the sudden change from obscure imprisonment, cold, 

 and darkness, to the East Indian climate of an early vinery 

 without any previous preparation. My own plan is to start as 

 many plants as possible in the early Peach house, where very 

 little fire heat is used ; eveiy blink of sun is taken advantage 

 of. In the absence of a proper Strawberry house great caution 

 should be used in forcing the Strawberry until the fruit is set. 

 When all danger is past, of course thinning the fruit, attention 

 in watering, and a rather cool dry atmosphere to finish ripen- 

 ing, are essential points. But where large quantities are to 

 be forced, I hope to see the day when employers will perceive 

 that it is to their own advantage to erect proper houses for the 

 early culture of so favourite a fruit. — The Gabdhnbr, Roby 

 Hall, Livfrjiool. 



SELECTION OF ROSES. 



My opinion of Gloire de Dijon and La France is exactly the 

 same as Mr. Cant'.«, published in this Journal (page 73). La 

 France is a capital grower, very hardy, and with fine foliage ; 

 but here (Dorset) it does not bloom freely. It presents a 

 slovenly appearance, and is a bad foul-weather Eose. I have 

 had for four years a capital plant of it, but not more than one 

 bloom per annum has been good. It is probably too cold and 

 bleak for it here. 



An Mr. Eyre asks the opinion of growers with respect to the 

 growth of Marie Baumann — a very beautiful Bose — I give 

 my experience of it. It is neither " vigorous " nor " robust." 

 It is a very bad grower. I had twenty-one plants several years 

 ago, not one of the plants has grown well. I threw away 

 seven of them last autumn, and put two plants in a pot in my 

 vinery, in hopes of striking it on its own roots. The others 

 are bad plants. By the side of them Gloire de Dijon, Charles 

 Lefebvre, and Due de Cazes throw shoots from 4 to C feet in 

 length. I saw a whole line of this Eose at the Dorset nurse- 

 ries two years ago ; the growth of the whole line was wretched. 



The lists of the "electors" do them credit. Instead of 

 Marie Baumann I recommend Marie Eady, a good grower, of 

 erect habit, and first-rate. Instead of Madame Augusta Ver- 

 dier read Madame Eugenie Verdier, fresh rose colour or rosy 

 carmine. I had it at Eushton some years ago. 



There are six Eoses that might be selected as the best for 

 all purposes : Charles Lefebvre, Gloire de Dijon, Celine Fores- 

 tier, Triomphe de Eennes, Souvenir de la Malmaisou, and 



